Conventionally, a media service has been developed in a single platform and provided to a specific client, and a user has used similar services by subscribing to each service if necessary.
Such services includes a service provided thorough a personal computer (PC), a set-top-box-based service provided through a television (TV), and a service provided through a mobile device. The user has subscribed to each service and paid for each service.
For example, if the user purchases contents through a TV at home and wants to enjoy watching the contents outside the home, the user needs to purchase mobile contents from a mobile service provider.
Further, if the user wants to watch contents, which have been watched on TV, through a mobile device, even if the same contents are provided, the user needs to watch the contents from the beginning
In connection with this matter, there has been disclosed Korean Patent No. 862,153 entitled “system and method for mobile IPTV service,” which relates to a technology in which a user can restart watching a broadcast program, which has been watched on Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), through a mobile device from a point where the user had stopped watching without any key manipulation or any particular checking process.
Although such a technology makes it possible to restart watching contents, which has been watched on IPTV, through a mobile device, this patent document does not disclose a technology in which after a user watches specific contents through a mobile device and stops watching, the user can restart watching the same contents on IPTV from a point where the user had stopped watching and can check records of contents purchased through an IPTV.
That is, regardless of a service system through which a user purchases contents, the user wants to use the same contents and check information of the contents in various service systems, but such wants of the user have not been satisfied.
Thus, there is a demand for a technology capable of, if contents obtained through various contents service channels are the same, continuously providing the contents without purchasing further services regardless of the type of the service system.